How far can you go?
by Catsaremeow
Summary: Jason is first to the warehouse. Joker is waiting inside with a hostage.


Third POV

"Where is he?" Jason called over his comm, his boots pounding on the wet pavement. The crashing waves just below the docks didn't help with staying dry as sheets of rain pelted down on his jacket. Jason's eyes was narrowed and glittering in the half-light. Rain slid down his helmet in rivulets.

"Hood, stop and think! Wait for backup." Dick's voice over the comm was staggered with bated breath. He was probably swinging towards the docks now with Bruce. "We're still too far away, we'll never make it soon enough!"

"I know! That's why I'm moving."

Bursting through the door, the hinges broke and the wood clattered to the floor, skidding to a stop. It was dark and quiet inside.

"Come on out, I know you're here." Jason said. His voice was uncharacteristically controlled. The common edge that roughed his voice had been cut. In its place, there was underlying darkness. The interior of the old building was not up to code, that much Jason could tell. There were squatter mats and in the corner rats rummaged through discarded clothes and trash, unafraid of the human in the room.

A shadow flickered on the wall to his right and the Red Hood tensed. He reached for his waist.

A cackle shocked Jason into moving faster and he drew his gun, the pistol's weight in his hand familiar. Though he would never admit it, the vigilante was on edge. This was a difficult case and he probably just messed it up. Jason hid the regret in his gut under steel resolve.

"Well, my favorite baby bird." Jason held still as the Joker appeared from the gloom, darkness covering every corner of the large warehouse. He clicked off the safety. "Where's your babysitter Hood?" Joker asked, his white skin standing out. It made him look like a ghost.

"Don't need one. Now where is he." Jason retorted. Joker raised his hands, a obvious façade of alarm on his face.

"Oh Hood, you wouldn't _shoot_ me, would you?" Jason tightened his grip on the gun. After a moment of silence he holstered the weapon, the safety switched on. It made the villain grin. "That's more like it. Seeing me, I know you miss your uncle J."

Jason smirked under the helmet. "You're right. I won't shoot you. I'd much rather beat you to death with my fists. Now," Jason's face hardened. "Where's the kid." At that, the gloves around his hands crinkled into fists. Joker waved a finger.

"Nu uh. See, I only show my prize to people I've killed and-oop." Joker's grin doubled in size and he put a hand over his mouth dramatically. "Since they're all still dead, I guess you're the only one left." Two out of the 15 goons in the shadows walked forward, holding a child, the boy looking to be only 10.

The part that shocked Jason the most was the similarities. Black hair, tanned skin, green eyes, hungry frame. This kid looked like _him_. "I see you're catching on then Hoodie." Joker said sweetly, the kid dropped at the madman's feet. Jason could only hope that the boy was unconscious.

"Whatever you're planing, I'll always be one step ahead. I'll always beat you." Jason said, his voice firmer than the tremble in his chest. He took one step forward before a gun was pressed against the kids temple. A groan and shaky sob told Jason that the boy was in fact, not unconscious.

"Are you sure? Because not too long ago this was you buddy boy. And guess what?" Jason gritted his teeth. Where was Dick? "_No one_ came to save you. You didn't win." Where was Tim? Even the demon spawn Damian? It didn't really take _that_ long to get here from the Bertinellie's apartments district.

"Even if the rest of the bats do show up on time, it'll still just be you and me. Like before, in that warehouse just like this one." Joker didn't know for sure he was sending shivers up Jason's spine but he knew to laugh when Red Hood drew his gun again.

Handing the weapon to his goon, Joker came before Jason, hands outstretched and looking to be a hug. "Come on boy, do it. Do what you promised your old man you would. Clean up this city." The villain chuckled. "Or are you too scared?"

Behind him, the boy was sobbing uncontrollably, his hic-ups echoing in the empty space. "Please, please don't let him kill me Mr. Hood." The kid begged, as if his life now rested in Jason's hands. It was enough to distract the vigilante.

Joker rushed, swatting the gun out of Jason hand and tackling him to the ground. He was heavier than Hood expected. They toppled to the floor and Jason flipped, standing up while Joker laid splayed on the ground. Turning to the goons, Jason sprinted. Kicking one to the wall, he round house kicked the other in the jaw, right over the kids head and once he was sure they were both unconscious, he ducked down.

The sobs had muffled to terrified gasps and Jason murmured something soothing as he picked up the 10 year old. As careful as he could, Jason stood up with the kid wrapped around his front. The other 13 goons from the sides stepped out. The kid took one look and burrowed his face into Jason's leather jacket. It made his chest clench.

"Okay kid, what's your name." Jason asked, taking his time as the goons waited for him to make the first move.

"Jason." The boy responded with a shaky voice and Red Hood felt his muscles spasm.

"Okay Jason," He clenched his jaw. "Just hold on tight." The kid nodded and wrapped his arms firmly around Hood's neck. In that moment, Jason Todd was glad he had a helmet to hide the fury fueling his movements. The vigilante took one step towards the door before the goons charged all at one. Steeling his fists, one hand supporting the kids back, Jason growled.

He took out his serrated knife, his gun laying somewhere on the concrete. Slicing the first two across the throat, the fell and Jason spun, shielding the kid and receiving a bullet to the back. He was glad he wore his bulletproof vest tonight. Unbothered, Jason pressed, and soon he was the only one left standing. Sheathing his still bloody knife, Jason took off a glove and gently rested a hand on the back of the kids head. The boy's hair was matted and dirt came ruffling off at the contact.

"Thank you." The boy whispered, afraid he would speak too loud and wake up the men who had been killed.

"No problem kid." Jason breathed. He clutched the boy a little tighter before setting him down. Standing on unsteady feet, Hood almost picked the child up again. The boy took a couple of steps away, getting far and Jason refrained from telling him to stay close. "Red Hood to Nightwing, I took care of it." Jason said. He was about to cut the connection when a cackling sounded from behind the two Jasons. Turning with the boy, Red Hood made a sound of disgust. Joker stood up, brushing dust from his dark purple suit.

"Took care of it? I'm offended. What am I to you?" The villain asked. Jason hissed and took a minuscule step toward the kid frozen still.

"A problem." Jason responded and took another step.

"Nightwing to Hood, we're still on our way. Much closer now. Stay put."

Joker's face curled into a smile. "Yeah, but I'm your problem." He laughed and Jason made a face, huffed and loosened his tense muscles. He forgot about the gun Joker had hit out of his hands, the firearm laying on its side in plain view. Joker did not forget. When Jason turned to his comm, Joker jumped for the gun.

Jason saw it too late. The boy screamed in fear and Jason looked up, his hand going to where his gun was normally... shit. Spinning to the joker, the clown cackled, his head going back in laughter, the gun in his hands unmistakable.

"Joker!" Jason yelled and he moved to run to the madman before he saw it. Joker lowered the weapon and pointed it at the boy. He pulled the trigger. The screaming was cut short. "No!"

Joker had a second to revel in the moment before a flash of black and blue dropped onto him. Jason rushed to the boy's side. Blood was already bubbling out of his chest. "Hey, hey Jason it'll be okay." The boy gurgled, his eyes still wide with fear.

"I'm-I'm scared Mr. Hood." The smaller Jason coughed out and the older one grabbed his hand tightly.

"Don't be, I'm right here, I'm right here. And here's the thing." Jason swallowed thickly, all too aware of the bats starting to appear. "Death isn't bad. It's not bad." That seemed to soothe the younger boy more than it should've and he nodded. Jason knew this kid was from crime alley.

The boy was holding tight to Jason's gloved hand, the other bare one holding his cheek. Blood was starting to spew from his mouth. It trailed down his chin and onto the ground, large gurgles of it now. Jason refused to move. He took off his helmet and wasn't wearing a mask, green eyes meeting green. The boy barely managed a small smiled before his grip on Jason loosened and his hand fell limp. There was a deathly silence before it cracked.

Joker was laughing. He was cackling and gasping for breath as the boy sat in his own blood, dead and Jason leaned over him.

"Shut it." Dick growled, unable to say anything else without loosing his already fraying control. Bruce approached Jason, the man still hunched over the body of the 10 year old. His breathing had gotten ragged. Once the bat touched the vigilante's shoulder, the warehouse tightened in tension. Tim dropped down from the rafters, landing in front of Jason.

"Jason-" Tim didn't get one more word out before the Red Hood spun, rushing the joker. His eyes were narrowed and his teeth bared.

"You _monster_." Jason snarled with enough fury to make the Joker stop. The villain silenced and his eyes widened. Just a Jason got into arms reach, Dick lurched forward, Bruce and Tim grabbing his arms. Together they managed to stop the enraged vigilante. Hood snapped and growled but was pushed back and finally he stopped fighting.

"See what happens when you don't follow the rules? When you drag people into our little game?" Joker asked, his eyes drilling into Jason's. "There's collateral damage." Jason shouldered off the hands restraining him and with one last look, he picked up his helmet. No one moved as Jason grappled up, swinging away.

"No ones going to follow him? What a lousy gang." Joker said, recovered from his initial shock and the real danger gone. He knew no one but Jason would really kill him. Although they'd try. Bruce turned to Damian, who had watched from the rafters by Tim. He nodded to the youngest and without another word, Damian followed Jason.

Leaving the warehouse behind, Jason found himself on the tallest building in Gotham. Wayne tower. His blood still burned and in his head, he saw the empty eyes of Jason. The boy laying on the floor, his chest still dripping blood.

His comm beeped and he shut it off without a second thought.

"Demon brat." Jason said, encasing his thoughts into a jar. They cracked the side but it'd hold for now.

"Todd." Damian jumped down from the vent he was standing on behind Jason. They were silent for a while, Jason not inclined to say anything and Damian not willing to press irritatingly.

"Your job is done here. Go tell Bruce I'm fine." Jason finally said, not turning to the younger boy and Damian tutted.

"Father would just send me back to you." Damian noticed the helmet sitting on Jason's side, the man's hair free and soaked through from the rain. It whipped from the wind but the vigilante was otherwise still.

Seeing as this was getting him no where Damian scoffed slightly and sat down beside Jason. "I assume Grayson will want to know your state of mind." Damian said. His voice was disinterested and aloof. Jason felt himself drawing comfort from it. It was a nice change from the wave of emotions that rocked his head space.

"Tell him he has so business wondering that." Jason retorted, standing up and the comfort he had drawn before turned to irritation. The jar in his head was starting to shatter. Walking to the edge Jason put on his helmet and tipped over the edge. Damian didn't bother getting up to see if his brother had hit the ground. The sound of a grappling hook was give away enough that Red Hood was fine.

Jason dropped down onto the fire escape of his apartment. The metal creaked slightly at the sudden shift of weight and Jason entered his living room. The space was clean as ever, floor vacuumed and things put away. Anger flooded from Jason suddenly at the sight. He growled, the sound growing until it resembled a shout and suddenly the room wasn't clean. Throwing glass to the floor and breaking lamps, ripping books, tearing out drawers, Jason didn't stop until there was no where to stand. He finally kicked off his shoes and they were sent flying. One hit the wall and the twinkling is shattered glass broke the silence. Looking up, Jason saw the picture of his mother staring back. She was smiling in the lifelike drawing and Jason was hit with exhaustion.

He sunk to his knees and the jar inside his head finally broke. Out flooded the boy, his shaking sobs, his cold eyes, the blood spilling from his mouth. Curling in on himself, Jason gritted his teeth and in his mind, the Joker's voice echoed.

"_See what happens when you don't follow the rules_?"

Ripping off his helmet, Jason tossed it and collapsed onto the couch, not caring for the blood on his hands or his missing glove, his missing gun, his soaked body. He just closed his eyes and felt tension build up in his gut.

It festered and Jason turned, until he was facing up. His eyes opened, and then he blinked. The white ceiling didn't change.

Damian has reached the bat cave at the same time as the rest of the vigilantes did. Dick immediately confronted him.

"What did he say. Is he alright?" Dick asked and Damian rolled his eyes. Bruce approached but went right past. He was listening. He was always listening when it came to Jason. Except for when the person himself was speaking.

"He told me he was fine. And that it's none of your business." Damian said clipped and turned to go upstairs. He peeked his gloves off, the wet material sticking to his skin uncomfortably.

Dick didn't speak for a moment before he turned without a word. "Where are you going?" Damian asked and Dick didn't look at the youngest.

"Jason." He said simply and without a second thought he hoped onto his Nightwing bike, engine roaring as he sped out of the cave.

It was a long ride to Jason's apartment and Dick took as many shortcuts as he could. He was sure he sped the entire time but he didn't care. The night was rainy so no one was out. The streets were bare and Nightwing was thankful for the small mercy. Once he reached the correct brick building, the oldest skirted to a stop and leaped off his bike. Not even bothering to knock Dick entered the apartment building and slowed his frantic pace, calming it to a walk. Knocking on the door, Dick waiting. There was silence inside and after a moments Dick simply entered.

Twisting the doorknob, the man's pulse started to speed up when he found it unlocked. The door creaked when it opened but it didn't go farther than a quarter of the way. After a few fruitless sessions of pushing, a voice came from inside.

"It won't open all the way."

The voice was monotone. Dick slipped through and his breath hitched when he saw the chaos of the room. Everything was on the floor. There was a dent in the wall suspiciously shaped like a fist and in the middle of it on a grey couch Jason laid. His uniform was still on, the water soaking into the cushions. Dick didn't speak.

"Yeah I know, it looks bad." Jason said, his arm resting over his eyes, and if he didn't speak he'd look asleep.

"Jay," Dick didn't know what to say. What would one say to someone who just went through what he did. "Jay I'm-" Jason growled, sitting up and glaring at Dick.

"_Don't_ say you're sorry." He almost snarled and Dick raised his hands in surrender. Still in his Nightwing costume, he peeled off his mask and set it down.

"I was going to say that I'm worried." Dick said clearly. Jason stood up and looked at him. "This," Dick gestured to the room. "Is not normal."

The Red Hood scoffed.

"Jason," Dick paused when he saw his brother react to the name. His jaw flexed and his eyes narrowed. "The comm was on. We heard it. We hear you." Dick took a cautious step forward. "The joker did that on purpose. He found a kid named Jason who looked like you. He did it to-"

"I know why he did it!" Jason yelled and it cut Dick off. The younger of the two had a creased forehead as he looked at Dick. "I know why he did it Dick. But that Jason, that _kid_? He didn't have to die like I did." Jason was starting to crack. His voice was starting to waver and he knew it. "That kid didn't have to die, scared and screaming, because we're supposed to stop the bad guys." Jason scoffed, his front crumbling before Dick's eyes. "He did it to see how far I could go." And finally Dick saw the fear in Jason's eyes. "And I can go farther. Which is the worst part."


End file.
